The Labor enquirer., 1887-07-02
JULIUS GRINNELL JR, TALKS
A Labor "Leader" Who Would I'M
prison Men for Simply Using
Free Speech.

general executive board. II was not pres
ent," he replied, "at the time the board
decided that expulsion was the only rem
edy when the districts insubordination
had really gone almost beyond human en-
durance, but after returned and heard
all the evidence was convinced that the
board acted with justice. In regard to
any appeal that may be made by the NAL
contents to the general assembly 1 feel
sure that the general assembly, if it CEN
sure the central board at all, will censure
US for not acting in more haste and
crushing the rebellion at once. under
stand the whole animus of this fight, and
it is perfectly ridiculous for the expelled
members to cry out that personal spite
played an important part in the decision
of the board.
"As it," said Mr.. Powderly with great
earnestness, "a great movement for re-
form could be held back or influenced by
personal motives. Whatever the rank and
file of the district assembly are, and there
are no doubt good knights among them,
their leaders are violent men, men of a
stamp that we don't want in the order
Their sympathizers are the Western an
archist element and, if am rightly in
formed, John Morrison himself is a men,
ber Of the International Workingmen's
Association which is only another name
for the red flag and anarchism. The
Knights of Labor are at war with such
ideas, and we will not have them in our
order. intend to do all can," exclaim.
ed Mr.. Powderly, as he brought his clench-
ed fist down with impressive force, ''to
purge the order of this violent element.
These men cannot remain with us any
longer. The authorities have been too
lenient with them. hold that when such
man as Johann Most delivers infamma-
tory utterances against life, liberty and
property, encourages bloodshed, and ex-
horts people to follow the red-handed ex-
ample of the seven Chicago murderers, he
ought to be put in prison and kept there.
We should not wait for some overt act of
wickedness; his declarations are enough.
We have much evidence against this
element in our order, and we are becom-
ing rapidly cleansed of malcontents. The
evidence in the District 126 matter would
make a book as big as the dictionary.
The board beside preparing summary
for the present need of order, will prepare
an exhaustive report for the general as
sembly. am interested in seeing JUS
tice done and will myself, irrespective of
the boards report, prepare history of
the case fol, presentation to the assembly
in Minneapolis in October. The remedy
for all these troubles is greater diffusion
of learning, and it is the object of my
life to see that every child in this land re-
ceives an education. Two methods of the
knights will assist this: by obtaining for
the parents just wages; and by doing
away with all child labor. am going
to work, along with the whole order, in
this direction. With the children educat-
ed in the subjects that every citizen
should be acquainted with, one may ex-
pect better republic, free from the can
kers of red-fagism. Again and again
have men written to me asking me to de-
clare that property is robbery and that
there is no God. have ever refused to
Join with such men,. They we're unscru-
pulous in exposing their own designs.
One letter said if would express myself
as converted to their ideas, then most of
the knights would follow. That was their
idea, and what then! They having sown
the seeds of discord, hoped to further
diabolical revolution and to found soci-
ETY. of atheistic anarchy. The Knights of
Labor will never support such ideas. Our
onlyisafety is by keeping such without
the pale of our order"